Category: PT

I have been living on an Island for the past 2 weeks. Everything that I possibly could need is within arms reach of my Island. Computers, to notebooks, pens, and textbooks all within arms reach of my Island. The times that I travel from my Island I am never alone. I get an escort to the bathroom, and to my second smaller Island in the other room. My Island has become my office where I have to spent countless hours reading and calculating chemical equations. My Island is where I sleep, day or night depending on how many hours I spent working on the previous list of complex calculations. My Island is Physical therapy. From laying with my leg on foam inclines to raise my ankle to help decrease the swelling. My Island is my cold therapy oasis when the ice packs are wrapped under and around my ankle and knee to decrease the inflammation and ease my swollen joints. My Island is where just yesterday that I was able to make my very first 1/4 circle with my newly tightened ankle. Notice I said, 1/4 turn. I am working on a full rotation. My Island is where I greet my visitors. My friends who have been with me every day either virtually or physically. From facetime, text message, phone calls to snap chat I can say that I have not been alone. My Island is also my prison. With just the view through the front windows, where I can see but not touch. My Island is solitary confinement when the house is sleeping and I am awake sitting on my Island.

Happy June Team!

I know it has been a hot long minute since I have posted. I have been a little busy. I will be posting again on a regular basis. If you follow me on FB then you know that I promised a BIG announcement tonight with this post…I will do that I promise.

I also want to take just a minute to acknowledge the 49 lives lost in the Orlando shooting, and the other people who where injured. I would like to offer my deepest sympathy to the families, friends and loved ones who are left behind. I would also like to acknowledge the family who lost their son in the tragic accident at the lake.

Now, a few updates on me:

My recovery has been long and hard. I have worked very hard everyday, pushing myself to the point of exhaustion and pushing myself harder physically and emotionally than I should. I have days that I can do nothing more than lay in bed with ice on my ankle and knee after work. I still am thankful to have my life and the people in it. I will continue to push myself each and everyday until I am fully healed.

I have been working full-time since I went back to work. I am still not able to work “full duty”, but I know that within a week or two I will be cleared to return to patient care. I was asked last week “Do you like doing this?” (meaning working as a secretary again) I wanted to think about my answer before answering. This was my response “I am thankful to be working, and this is good brain work, but I miss patient care. I get to interact with the visitors more now, but I miss really getting to know my patients and caring for them.” I said this with a big smile, and the person looked at me and smiled and said “Good, thats what I want to hear” One of the things that drives me to be a nurse is taking care of people and I miss that part of my job. I will be back before I know it. One of the things that drives me to want to work with new mothers and fathers, and take care of tiny humans is because nothing is more important the first few days as a new family. Getting to know the dynamics of different families, seeing the love on the faces of the new parents as they look at the newest addition to the family. One day at a time, I will make it back to where I am suppose to be.

I have been able to officially move back home. It was almost 4 months to the day of my accident that I was able to finally return home. I have had to make a few adjustments, but for the most part I have been able to be fully functioning at home.

Steve came home with me for a few weeks. We have been trying to have some type of normal. It will be short lived, and we will need to readjust to life without each other for the next 6 months but for the last few weeks it has been nice. I have been working dayshift so, that will be another adjustment for me, but I will be ok.

I’m sure that you have figured out that I am driving now. I still have times of anxiety, with being in certain situations but I am determined to move forward.

I am still going to Physical Therapy 2 days a week. I have finally been able to progress to strengthen exercises on my knee and starting on my ankle. I have had to wear my walking boot again while at work for one week, and now i will wear it alternating days. The purpose is to get more of the swelling off my ankle. The delay in treatment, and the misdiagnosis of my ankle and broken let caused me to have a few set backs but I am not letting it slow me down.

I will be getting myself prepared for my final term starting the first week of July. That means that two-three days a week I will be devoting time to studying. I will not be enjoying much fun, sun or time off for the rest of the summer. I will be working, studying, PT or sleeping. 🙂

I am going to starting posting again on a regular basis, on updates, and other topics.

Thank you again to everyone who has helped us over the past 4 months and thank you for those who continue to read my blog…

Fear is a funny emotion. It can make your heart race. It can make your palms sweat. . Fear can paralyze you. Fear really is an irrational emotion. Just thinking about an act can change your whole perception.

I have been driving for 23 years. I have logged thousands and thousands of hours. I have driven in sun, rain, snow, wind. I have been in several accidents, but one that truly changed my entire perception.

Even with sweating palms, and my heart about to jump from my chest… I am going to take it one step at a time…

Time for an Update:

Hi team:

I have been working hard with over the past few weeks. I am on a deadline to return to work. When I told my medical team that I had 12 weeks of FMLA, that I need to be able to return to work and at the time we were already 2 weeks in. I was putting my team of doctors and my body on a deadline. I was unsure if that was a realistic goal or not. At the time, they were still unsure of surgical plans, or long term effects my injuries would cause. The doctors look at me and said, “You were severely injured in a very bad accident, it will take your body months to fully recover.” In true Cheryle style, I looked them in the eyes and said “I have 12 weeks of leave time from work, that holds my position. I did not ask for this to happen to me. I have been through HELL, I was broken, bruised, and suffer from nightmares. I was forced to give up my last semester and graduation from nursing school. I will do what it takes to get my life back. I have 10 weeks left, to get my life back… I am willing to work hard and do what it takes for that to happen.”

Two days a week we go to Annapolis to work with my physical therapist Ashish and his team.

I do all the exercises he gives me:

Learning to walk

Muscle control / balance

Learning to walk up and down steps

Four days of the week, I work with my “Home Team”

My Home Team: Susan and Steve who push me and help me.

floor work -Leg lifts, stretching

circles, Tic-Toc (moving left and right with my foot)

walking

back and forth

point and pull

leg lifts

I have been “icing and elevating” around the clock.

Trips to the boardwalk; walks in the neighborhood.

Drum roll, please……

A special video to share with all of you. All of the love, support and words of encouragement you give to me, helps to push me through the pain, swelling and tears.

Hello Team…

I have been MIA for a few days and I wanted to check in with you. Today marks 7 weeks or day 51 of my adventure.

I have decided to call this experience an adventure because when I looked up the definition of adventure. It stated an unusual and exciting, typically hazardous, experience or activity. I feel that everything that has happened to me, I feel that it fits. I did not choose this adventure it is what was handed to me. I am going with it and make the best of it.

I have been working hard on my ‘Ice Therapy’ for the past two weeks. I have been doing the exercises that my therapist gave me, and I have been Icing and elevating my leg as directed. The swelling has just started to go down.

I got to have a date night with my world. We did an in house movie night, two nights in a row.

We watched 50 first dates, and “Sex sent me to the ER” on of our favorite shows.

It felt good to be out, even if it was for a few hours.

Good Morning, Good Afternoon and if I don’t see you, Good Evening and Good Night….

Today starts my first day of ICE Therapy… Yup, it’s as cold as it sounds…it’s very cold. My goal with this is to decrease the swelling in my ankle and knee. It’s kinda like the song that you can’t get out of your head. 🙂

I am using a clay based hot/cold pack from CVS pharmacy. They work great!